Tape-feeding apparatus



Nov. 19, 1968 J. J. HALL ETAL 3,411,723

TAPE-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QN 9 u w WV M 3/. m N\ INVENTORS a. M ATTORNEY 19m war 4 lam/mam Nov. 19, 1968 J. J. HALL ETALY 3,

TAPE-FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSZ 29 (1755 L./: #444 4146K A Aim/Mam ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,411,728 TAPE-FEEDING APPARATUS Joseph J. Hall, Somerville, and Jack A. Kummerow, Englishtown, N.J., assignors to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 611,455 Claims. (Cl. 242-55) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application discloses apparatus for feeding pressure-sensitive adhesive tape at substantially constant tension from a large roll of said tape wound upon itself with the adhesive side facing the center of the roll. The tape roll is laid on its side on a horizontal table mounted on substantially frictionless bearing means in such a way that the table will rotate freely in a horizontal plane when the tape is unwound by drawing it away from the roll. Spaced guide rollers define a vertical guide slot for leading the tape horizontally away from the roll and a turning roller is provided for leading the tape vertically away from the guide slot. Brake means is provided which normally prevents the table from rotating but releases it, preferably automatically, when feeding tension is applied to the tape extending through the guide slot.

The present invention relates to means for advancing tape from a large roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape wound upon itself with the pressure-sensitive side of the tape facing inwardly toward the axis of the roll.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape normally is produced commercially by coating an adhesive layer upon one surface of a relatively wide continuous backing sheet. The adhesive coated sheet then is slit into relatively narrow tape widths which are wound upon themselves upon cores mounted on a mandrel, or mandrels, to form a series of narrow Width tape rolls. The diameter of the resulting tape roll depends upon the amount of tape Wound thereon. Obviously, a given amount of tape may be manufactured and wound upon itself in the form of a roll more cheaply if it is all wound on one roll, as opposed to being wound on two or more rolls. Thus, the tape in very large rolls, say one to two feet in diameter, can be sold more cheaply than the same amount of tape wound onto six to twelve smaller rolls. For this reason and because such large rolls can be dispensed more economically from automatic, taping apparatus because the need to change rolls is minimized, large tape rolls of this type definitely are preferred for automatic industrial taping apparatus. v

However, problems have arisen in using such large rolls of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, especially when they are in the range of one to two feet or over in diameter. First of all, the tape cannot be mounted vertically, i.e., with its turning axis horizontal, for the simple reason that the roll becomes distorted due to the weight of the tape wound thereon. This problem is particularly serious when a given tape roll remains in the apparatus over a relatively long period of time which often is the case for packaging apparatus and the like.

Another problem in feeding pressure-sensitive adhesive tape from such large rolls is controlling unwind and feeding tension. Since much more torque is needed to brake the roll when it is full than when it is almost used up, or empty, some sort of variable torque arrangement must be used if it is applied centrally of the roll in an attempt to unwind the tape at anything like a constant tension. The problem of unwinding the tape at constant tension also is accentuated by the inertia of and the momentum acquired by such a large roll of tape.

3,411,728 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 ice According to my invention, I mount a large roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the size described, i.e., of one to two feet or over in diameter, horizontally, on its side, on a horizontal table in such a way that the tape is unwound by rotating the roll about a vertical axis. This is accomplished by employing tape feeding apparatus which comprises a horizontal table mounted on substantially frictionless bearing means such as a roller thrust bearing of the lazy Susan type in such a Way that the table is mounted for free rotation in a horizontal plane. Means is provided for positioning the large roll of tape on the upper surface, or surface portion, of the table in such a way that one side of the tape roll lies on the surface. The arrangement is such that the tape roll will rotate as the table rotates, that is, there is no relative motion between the tape roll and the table. To assure that this is the case, means preferably is provided for placing a central spindle extending upwardly from the table in positive driving engagement with the tape roll, rather than relying completely upon the frictional engagement between the side of the tape roll and the surface of the table. First and second vertical guide means, normally in the form of a pair of rollers, are spaced from one another adjacent one edge of the table to provide a vertical guide slot for locating the vertical plane of the tape as it leaves the roll. This guide slot should be appreciably wider than the thickness of the tape to avoid squeezing the tape and minimize the possibility of contact with the adhesive side thereof. When the tape is to be fed vertically, a turning roller is provided which preferably is aligned axially with the guide slot and the center of the tape roll, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

According to my invention, brake means is provided which normally holds or prevents the table from rotating, but is releasable to 'allow free rotation of the table and the tape roll when it is desired to feed tape from the roll. Preferably, the brake means automatically releases the table for rotation when feeding tension is applied to the tape extending through the feeding slot described above, and then automatically brakes the table against rotation when feeding tension no longer is applied to said tape. Thus, the tape roll rotates freely to allow the tape to be fed at a substantially constant tension which need be no greater than the tensile force necessary to overcome the adherence of the tape to itself in the roll. This normally is called the unwind tension of the tape roll and is substantially constant regardless of the amount of tape on the roll.

Other and further advantages of this invention will appear to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims taken together with the drawings where- FIG. 1 is a partially broken away plan view of feeding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken away view in elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with pulling means for drawing the tape from the roll shown schematically and -re duced at one end thereof.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken from the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the rollers defining the guide slot through which the tape is drawn as it leaves the roll.

FIG, 5 is an enlarged view in elevation showing the action of the brake on the table.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of this invention which comprises a horizontal table 11 in the form of a flat plate having a circular periphery. This plate is disposed horizontally and mounted centrally upon a substantially frictionless roller bearing 12 of the lazy Susan type, in such a way that its center corresponds as closely as possible with the axis of rotation of the bearing 12. The bearing, in turn, is mounted on a horizontal cross plate 13 attached to one end of a supporting arm 14. The supporting arm 14, which may itself be formed from an L-shaped structural member, is fixed to an L-shaped upright 15, which normally would be attached to some portion of the apparatus associated with the tape feeding device.

A relatively large diameter tape roll 16, i.e., one having a diameter of one to two feet or more, which includes a central core 17 upon which tape is wound, is laid upon the table 11 with one of its sides in contact with the top surface of the table. A centrally located spindle 18 is attached to the central portion of the table 11 in such a way that the spindle rotates when the table rotates. Thus, the tape roll 16 may be centered on the table by locating the hollow core 17 of the roll centrally over or around the spindle 18. When this is done, the spindle 18 is placed in positive driving engagement with the tape roll itself by inserting a hollow tapered plug 19 into the tape core 17 in such a way that the tapered plug achieves a force-fit with said core. The plug 19 includes a disklike cover portion 21 which overlaps the tapered portion of the plug and the core 11. A lengthwise axial slot 22 is provided in the top of the spindle 18 to receive a transverse pin 23 secured to a washer 24 attached to the tapered plug 19. The pin 23 is so arranged with respect tothe slot 22 in the spindle that it must be fitted into the slot to allow the plug to be forced into the core of he tape roll. Thus, when the plug 19 is in position in the core 17, it is directly engaged radially with the spindle 18 through the pin 23 and with the tape roll 16 through its force-fit with the core 17.

Brake means is provided in the form of opposed top and bottom brake shoes 25 and 26, respectively, which are adapted to cooperate, as shown in FIG. 5, to clamp the table 11 adjacent its periphery and prevent its rotation. The top brake shoe 25 overlaps the top surface of the table 11 slightly but stops short of the maximum diameter of the tape roll 16, and the bottom shoe 26 is adapted to strike the underside of the table 11 in the same general area as that contacted by the top shoe. The top shoe 25 is bolted at one end to a base plate 27 extending across the supporting arm 14 and attached thereto. The bottom shoe 26 is in the form of a widened nut at the outer end of a vertical plunger 28 of a pneumatic cylinder 29 extending through and mounted on the supporting arm 14. Both the top shoe 25 and the bottom shoe 26 include an outer layer of resilient material 31 which contacts the adjacent surface of the table when the brake means is activated to clamp the edge of the table, as illustrated in FIG. 5. As indicated hereinbefore, when the tape 10 is not being fed from the roll 16, the brake means is intended to be activated to this braking or clamping position of the shoes 25 and 26. Thus, it can be said that in the normal, or static, condition of the apparatus, the brake means prevents the table 11 from rotating. In this embodiment of the invention, the pneumatic cylinder 29 which extends or retracts the bottom shoe 26 is controlled by a solenoid 32 which, in turn, is connected electrically to the control circuit of a tape pulling, or feeding, device 33 which is adapted to draw the tape from the roll 16. The solenoid 32 is designed to be energized when the control circuit of the pulling means 33 is energized to apply tension to the tape for feeding purposes and, when the solenoid is so energized it operates the pneumatic cylinder 29 in such a way as to retract or drive downwardly the bottom brake shoe 26 to release the brake and allow the table 11 to rotate freely. As soon as the solenoid 32 is deenergized due to the fact that the electrical circuit for the pulling means 33 also is de-energized, i causes the pneumatic cylinder 29 to project the bottom brake shoe 26 into contact with the bottom of the table 11 and press the edge of the table against the top brake shoe 25 so as to clamp the table 11 between the shoes and hold it firmly against further rotation. Thus, the brake normally prevents the table 11 from rotating, i.e., it prevents rotation when feeding tension no longer is applied to the tape 10, but automatically releases the table for rotation when feeding tension is applied to the tape by energizing the pulling means 33. The pulling means, shown only schematically in FIG. 2, may be a conventional device for feeding tape at a substantially constant tension. A new device which is particularly suitable for this purpose is disclosed in our copending application Ser. No. 543,718.

The base plate 27 extends horizontally over the edge of the supporting arm 14 to provide an overhanging shelf which supports first and second vertical guide rollers 34 and 25, respectivley. These guide rollers are mounted to rotate on stub shafts 36 bolted to the shelf and extending vertically upward therefrom. The rollers 34 and 35 rotate on parallel vertical axes which are spaced from one another in such a way to space the rollers and provide a vertical guide slot 37 between them. This vertical guide slot 37 is horizontally aligned with the centers of the tape roll 16 and the table 11 longitudinally of the supporting arm 14, as shown in FIG. 1, and is vertically aligned with the tape roll 16 so that when tape is drawn horizontally from the roll, it may be passed directly through the guide slot 37. The first guide roller 34 has a relatively smooth surface for contacting the non-adhesive backside of the tape 10, Whereas the second guide roller 35 preferably presents an interrupted surface, such as that provided by the vertical serrations 38 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, for guiding the adhesive side of the tape when necessary. The tape roll 16 is positioned on the table 11 in such a way that the tape must be unwound through counter-clockwise rotation of the roll and cause the outwardly facing backside of the tape 10 to pull toward and face the first guide roller 34. Thus, the back of the tape 10 will tend to ride against and be guided by the first guide roller 34. However, since the table 11 rotates freely, the tape roll 16 may occasionally override, or pass, the guide slot 37 slightly to cause the adhesive side of the tape to come into contact with the serrated surface of the second guide roller 35. Then, the second guide roller 35, not only assures that the tape continues to be fed from the roll 16 in the same direction, i.e., in substantially the same vertical plane, but also causes the tape 10 and the roll 16 to swing back toward the first guide roller 34. At times, periodic oscillation of the tape roll 16 with respect to the guide slot 37 may occur in this manner, as shown schematically in FIG. 4. Since tape unwound from such a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape will assume a plane which is radially aligned wtih the center of the roll, if the roll is allowed to rotate during unwinding, the vertical plane of the tape 10 being drawn through the slot 37 normally also will be aligned radially with the center of the tape roll 16 and the center of the table 11.

In the embodiment of this invention shown in the drawings, the tape 10 is intended to be fed vertically before it is applied. Since it first must be drawn horizontally away from the horizontal tape roll 16, means must be provided for changing its direction. A horizontal tuming roller 39 mounted to rotate on a stub shaft 40 bolted to a vertical flange portion 41 of the supporting arm 14 is provided for this purpose. The axis of the turning roller 39 is horizontal or disposed at degrees to the axes of the first and second guide rollers 34 and 35, and also is normal, or perpendicular, to the centerline of the tape 10 extending between the guide slot 37 and the turning roller 39. More specifically, the turning roller 39 is radially aligned both with the guide slot 37 and the center of the tape roll 16 so that the centerline of the tape extending between the turning roller and the guide slot also is aligned with the center of the tape roll. This means that the tape 10 is drawn directly, i.e., radially, from the roll 16 through the guide slot 37 to the turning roller 39. In order to pass over the turning roller 39, the plane of the tape must be rotated 90 degrees. As shown in the drawings, in operation, this results in twisting the tape 10 extending between the guide slot 37 and the turning roller 39 so that the tape is vertical as it passes through the guide slot and horizontal as it passes over the turning roller. Once the tape 10 is horizontally disposed, it may be drawn over the turning roller 39 and removed therefrom at 90 degrees to the horizontal so that it may be fed away by the pulling means 33 and applied, if desired, vertically, or from a vertical position, to the desired application surface.

Thus, according to this invention, the tape 10 may be fed horizontally or vertically away from a large tape roll 16, i.e., having a diameter of one to two feet or more, at a constant tension, which need be no greater than the unwind adhesion of the tape from the roll, without the need for special clutches or other tension controlling devices and in such a way as to maintain exact control over the feeding of the tape.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications, and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is:

1. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape feeding apparatus which comprises a horizontal table mounted on substantially frictionless bearing means for free rotation in a horizontal plane, means for postioning a roll of pressuresensitive adhesive tape on said table, said tape being wound upon itself with the adhesive side of the tape facing inwardly in the roll, said table presenting an upper surface portion adapted to support one side of the tape roll horizontally without relative motion between the roll and the table when the roll is placed in position on the table, brake means normally preventing said table from rotating but releasable to allow free rotation of the table when it is desired to feed tape from the roll, and first and second vertical guide means spaced from one another horizontally to define a vertical guide slot for locating the vertical plane of the tape as it leaves the roll, whereby when said brake is released, the table may be caused to rotate freely and tape may be drawn from the roll merely by applying to the tape extending through said slot the substantially constant tensile force necessary to overcome the adherence of the tape to itself in the roll.

2. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said brake means automatically releases said table for rotation when feeding tension is applied to the tape extending through said slot and automatically brakes said table against rotation when feeding tension no longer is applied to said tape.

3. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said brake means comprises a pair of opposed shoes positioned one above and one below the table adjacent its perimeter, and at least one of said shoes is adapted to be urged toward the other shoe to clamp the edge of the table and prevent it from rotating and then to be moved in the opposite direction away from said other shoe to release said table for feeding said tape.

4. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means is a vertical spindle centrally located on the table, and said tape roll is hollow and adapted to be positioned on said table by centering the roll with respect to said spindle.

5. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 4, where in said spindle rotates with said table and is adapted to be placed in positive driving engagement with said roll.

6. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vertical guide slot is appreciably wider than the thickness of said tape.

7. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first and second vertical guide means are first and second rollers, respectively, adapted to rotate about vertical axes.

8. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second roller faces the adhesive side of the tape and possesses an interrupted surface for contact with said adhesive to facilitate separation of the tape therefrom after the tape has contacted said first roller in passing through the vertical guide slot.

9. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises a turning roller spaced from said guide slot and mounted to rotate about an axis normal to the centerline of the tape extending between the guide slot and the said turning roller.

10. Tape feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said turning roller rotates on a horizontal axis and the centerline of the tape extending between the turning roller and the slot is aligned with the center of the tape roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

